My new 617 has grooves in the chambers. All 10 chambers are identical. They look like this was done intentionally. Does anyone know if this is normal on new 617s. My new 629 doesn't have them. I will note that the grooves don't seem to hurt anything, no sticky extraction so far.

Mine doesn't have them.

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Foster Positivity.

I bought a 4in and a 6in at the same time the 6in has the grooves
in the charging holes but the 4in does not.

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IMG_0424.jpg (45.3 KB, 668 views)

Could the "grooves" you are seeing be the chamber mouths. S&W .22 cylinders ARE NOT bored straight through. There is a reduction at the front of the case to bullet diameter.

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Fluted chambers were made in Israeli guns to ease extraction, it could be S&W is doing it too but I've never seen it. However if it functions properly I wouldn't worry.

deno56's picture shows "grooves" running parallel to the bore. Striations might be a better description. The only way they could have been cut with the chamber reamer would be if the machine operator stopped spinning the reamer before dragging it back out. Odd. I do not think that is the answer. This is a new one for me.

Edit to add after reading Injunbro's reply before mine. The best know use of chamber flutes was in H&K's roller locked rifles and sub-machine guns. The cases had to float back to push back the bolt head to unlock the breach. It could be this is S&W's new idea to stop the complaints about sticky extraction in their .22 revolvers.

I've not seen it before. It looks deliberate, also that the grooves, or striations don't extend the full length of a 22LR case. It appears to me to be a pretty slick way to reduce or eliminate cases from sticking (less surface friction) while still allowing the brass to expand enough to seal the chambers. -S2

ETA: it would be interesting to see what the fired cases from these 617's look like, also to know it the grooves would effect the velocity of a 22 short.

Seems faulty to me.

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mine is 3 wks. old 4 in. none on mine 617 -6 slick as snot

My wife’s 317 has distinct grooves in each chamber. Winchester cases stick but Federal do not. She shoots Federal and isn’t worried about it so I’m not either.

I can't see any way a drill or reamer can make lines like that, S&W must be trying some new round broaching process.

Broaching (metalworking - Wikipedia)

An example of a one type of round broach that has similar lines.

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That is not normal

I would be contacting Smith & Wesson about a shipping label for a return to the Factory

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I sent it back to S&W it was there 4 weeks they check extraction and said the cylinder was in spec. It shoots good and no trouble whit extraction.

I don't remember which one, but one of my 357's has that. It leaves those grooves on the fired brass. No problems shooting or reloading that brass, it just looks weird.

Could it be a machining tool at the end of it's service-life, or perhaps missing the final step of polish-and-deburr (or similar)?

There is another thread in the forum about my problem with this. I have sent mine back and they returned it saying they could not find any issues. It is now back at the factory today still with extraction problems. These striations seem to attract crud. My gun starts locking up at about 100 rounds. My 4" with smooth cylinders will shoot all day. I'm not happy. I have asked if they will swap out the cylinder. I don't mind paying if necessary.

The grooves in my gun are around the circumference, very uniform, perfect little grooves, best I can tell the entire length of the cylinder. Looks too perfect to be by accident. It also looks like it would be hard to do. So far no problem. Every S&W I've ever owned have been smooth and polished.

The stiations are the way they are being made now, I sent mine back to smith twice and they finally replaced the cylinder. The new cylinder had striations also, Had extraction issues as well as the chambers while in specks were just too tight. Had a local gunsmith put a chamber reamer to it and no more extraction issues, Also no more striations. I can now run an entire steel challenge match without extraction binding. My other 617 has the striation (4 inch) but runs like a swiss watch.

Pretty poor response not to give you a reason. Looks like they got rid of the guy that was making them correctly and hired an inexperienced person. This is why I only buy vintage S&Ws or I carefully inspect newer ones before putting down my money. I have heard that the new Colt Pythons had manufacturing flaws too. For me, old iron is the best.

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I'm starting to hear more problems with 617's- almost makes me wish I bought a SP101 or GP100 in .22lr- My 617 frame is cracked, it's back at the factory, and many other have sent theirs back for bad crown on forcing cone, and issues like this with cylinder grooves...

That's a new one for me. If I ever buy a new S&W, I'll certainly look for those striations before buying. Perhaps S&W will give us a good response in order to explain them. Yes... I know that's unlikely.

I've had Model 17s and 18s for over 45 years (two of each) and they all have had or have smooth and polished charge holes.

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Keep your powder dry.

Interesting, it looks to me like chatter-marks from interpolating the holes prior to finish-honing; might be from a worn-out or brand-new cutter.

I agree with this. I've had stuff like this on all kinds of different firearms. Worn out tools. Send it back, it's not normal.

My 617-6 has them, does not effect extraction at all. Chambers appear to be to spec (not loose or tight) cylinder throats are consistent. Very accurate. No misfires of any kind in over 1,000 rounds. My son’s 648-2 does not have them.

At this point I’m unsure as to send it back unless someone gets S&W to resolve it for them.

Now I have to go look at mine.

[update] Nope. Mine has no such machining marks.

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My 43C was bought new in January 2012 and has the striations in the aluminum cylinder, they go the full length of the case but not fully to the front of the cylinder. I fired it maybe 100 rds back then, cleaned and put away. Today I decided to economize on .38 ammo and used the 43C for most of my snubbie practice.

Extraction on this gun seems easier than on my 18-3 with smooth chambers. Accuracy is hard to determine in an Airlite gun with a heavy trigger and short sight radius, but seems on par with my 340PD.

The striations are not absolutely perfect but are way too uniform to be some kind of accident. Unless some kind of problems develop, I don't plan to "fix" anything.